Date = 30 MayPlace = San Francisco (Enrique’s home)POV - Enrique“So Nigeria? Fuck.” I’m doing a little one-on-one video chat with my brother. “Isn’t it dangerous or something?”“Nah, risky maybe … I’m mostly going to treat malaria patients, maybe some other diseases. I just finished my training and I’ve received all my shots … so I’m good to go.” I stare at the luxurious room in the background. It’s obviously night already wherever he is.“Guess you’re not in Africa yet, or else the accommodation is much more pristine than I imagined.” He glance around the bedroom he’s sitting in and then smile at me.“Yeah, you got me. Made a little detour before going to the dark continent. You would not believe where I am right now,” he sounds chirpy and sad all at the same time. I wait for him to tell me.“Don’t judge … I’m in Helsinki.” I gasp. Not at all where I imagined. Is he a sucker for punishment or what?“You’re at … " I ask slowly, not sure how I should react - sympathetic, hopeful or
Date = 7 JunePlace = San Francisco (UCSF Medical center)POV - Aria“Are you okay dear?” I look into the warm brown eyes of an elderly nurse, a true worried expression on her round face. She reminds me of my mother. I wipe the tears and snot away with the sleeve of my hoodie and stare at her with huge eyes, my mind to clogged to think straight.“You don’t look to good,” she continues.I look down at my clothes. She’s right. I look like trash … but for the first time I don’t even care. Oh, if my followers could see me now they’ll probably all unsubscribe in an instance. And they’ve increased by the thousands since I did the make-up for that video. All thanks to Mel. She asked me to make-up the boys’ faces like skeletons for their latest stunt video, and since it went viral, people started subscribing to my channel like wildfire. It’s amazing.But I’m sure they’ll all freak out seeing me like this. No makeup. My unbrushed hair stuck in a distorted bundle on my head. Big baggy jeans and
Date = 12 JunePlace = San Francisco (Pier 39)POV - AriaBrian: I need to tell you something. Bring Mel. Meet me now on the second floor of the Pier 39 parking lot. It’s urgent.I reread the message and then look over my phone where Mel is hugging the toilet, puking her guts out. I haven’t told her about the message yet. There’s no way she’s going to be able to accompany me in this condition.But I’m not going alone. I do a quick recon as to who is currently in San Francisco: Noah is at the hospital with Leyla and Axel are looking after Grimms. Kiara is at the university. Jackson is helping his twin (whom I can’t call) out at Inferno. That leaves Lee.Mel gets up and washes her face.“Eh, Mel, I need to quickly go get something for my car,” I lie. “You take a nap here in D-boy’s little room. I’ll take Lee with me and we’ll be back asap, okay?” She nods and walk out the bathroom without a word. Her morning sickness suddenly came back in a rage of fury starting in the mornings and last
Date = 13 JunePlace = San Francisco (Grimms)POV - EnriqueWith every step I take on the pier towards Grimms, I feel more agitated, more guilty, more alone, more heartbroken, more unworthy. And with each step the pain consumes me more and more. If I don’t counterbalance this raging feelings with some physical pain, I’m going to blow soon. I know I am.But cutting myself won’t do it this time … I need more. So I’m going to use my twin’s method of self-coping: FIGHTING. Usually I won’t go down this road because of my job … I can’t model or act with bruises all over my face, now can I … but today I have to. Fuck the job. Luckily I cleared my schedule for the transplant.Right now I seriously need to hit something … and I need that something to hit back. And who better than the guys that’s sort of responsible for Aria getting into a dangerous situation? It is more or less their fault, so they deserve this. I burst through the doorway.“How the fuck could you guys let that happen?” I’m ti
Date = 13 JunePlace = San Francisco (Grimms)POV - Enrique“Hi, sis,” I try to sooth the situation with my dear sister. Kiara throws her unruly curls back and folds her arms. The both of them must have entered unseen while we were a little preoccupied.And just like that the fight is over. Done. The other three remain riveted to their spots, Lee squashed in a tight grip against Jackson and Axel standing rigid, fists frozen in the air. With the support of my elbows I hoist my top portion from the ground, making an effort to smile with my broken face.“What the ship is going on here?” Mel is still firmly seated on my lower body. Axel hurriedly shoves his hands in his pockets. Lee’s eyes grow wide and Jackson looks at the ground. Honestly, of all my siblings, my sister scares me the most, but don’t tell her that. She has some serious bitch-crazy unrestricted Jackson vibes when she’s upset - and at that stage she can dominate all four of us with just one look. She can literally do anythi
Date = 13 JunePlace = San Francisco (UCSF Medical center)POV - Aria“Brain Cruise, can you tell me how he’s doing?” I’m standing at the nurse station of the intensive care unit. The woman looks at me over her glasses.“That man sure has an entourage. Are you one of his fans?” Her eyes pulls into a line. “Wait, you’re one of the girls that brought him in?” She says before I can answer. I nod.“The police was looking for you to give a statement.” My heart hitches and my stomach knots. I’m not sure what I’m gonna tell them. I guess the truth will have to do. Will they think we have something to do with it? Should I tell them that Brian was blackmailing me? Should I tell them about the message?“Eh, my sister is in the pediatric BMT ward. I had to go to her.” Her accusing gaze lifts and gets replaced with one of pity.“Oh, not to worry, they’re on their way now, so go wait in what we call the mourning area … it’s the little room around the corner.” She points down the left side corridor
Date = 17 JunePlace = San Francisco (UCSF Medical center)POV - Enrique“Make sure they fumigate, clean and sterilize everything, especially Leyla’s room. Thanks Aunt Betty.” I put down the phone on the bedside table. I trust that she would make sure things go smoothly. After all, she been with us for years and is like part of the family. I specifically hired her at first because of her name … she has the same name as the nurse that cared for us whenever we ended up in the ER. The nurse that later married Doc Barney. I thought it was a fated coincidence … and turns out I was right. Aunt Betty is just as wonderful as her nursing counterpart … a real mother hen. I keep on walking up and down next to my hospital bed.“Isn’t it too soon. Shouldn’t you do that just before she leaves the hospital? You know she’s probably gonna be here another month or so?” Logan queries.“Yes,” I’m fully aware about every step of her treatment and how long it takes, “I’ll repeat it again just before she ge
Date = 26 JunePlace = San Francisco (UCSF Medical center)POV - Aria“So, how was work today?” My sister asks as soon as she sees me through the glass separating our room from hers. She’s accommodated in a positive pressure environment in which only highly purified air is allowed to enter. In addition, it’s further isolated from the hallway by an outer space, called an anteroom. Both rooms are cleaned daily, and everyone who enters her room must follow specific procedures. This isolation policy is intended to minimize complications and the risk of developing an infection during the transplant process.She doesn’t even bother to look up from her sketchpad where she’s sitting on the bed next to the window pane. Her two huge bodyguards sit in a semi-circle in front of the glass, the office-type chairs way to small for them to be very comfortable. The one with thick fishy lips, cleft a wide smile and struggles to get up.“Ah, miss Aria, let me help you with this.” I pat the thick arm str